RE: Flash4 Wishes

[Judy Miller]

> -----Original Message-----

>

From: ownershocker [dot] com [ownershocker [dot] com]On">mailto:ownershocker [dot] com]On Behalf Of David

> Gary

> I believe an "airbrush" tool would be possible in Flash4, but

> only using the

> ability

> to create gradients with more freedom than the existing  "radial

> and linear"

> options.


After I read this, boy did I ever get excited. I installed my Fractal

Expressions and thought, yeah man, I am going to have the best of both

worlds here, after all Expressions does vector airbrush and much more. All

kinds of Natural Media Vector Stuff. Yeah, and then I tried to import it

into Flash.


> I can somewhat simulate this effect by tracing an outline and

> painstakingly

> use the "fill" tool to get the gradients

> to line up. Its a difficult task but doesnt have to be even in creating

> vectors, enter: "wish"

> It is possible to give more freedom with vector gradients.

> Why do you think so many sites are "squares" and "circles"?

> Because people are trying to keep the file size small and creating with

> vector.


I have been spending the past few days playing with Fireworks. Oh man, it is

TOO cool. I wouldn't compare it to Photoshop but more to Painter in the

brushes and textures. Absolutely yummy, BUT if Fractal could do it in

vector, so could Macromedia. The Live Effects would indeed still work in

Fireworks if it was to export as vector, because I can go back into any

Expression document and change the colour style, effect etc. in any path

just the same as I can in Fireworks, but I can't export into Flash worth

shit. Not with retaining any of the transparancies or colours anyhow.


I have been reading the posts about bitmaps in Flash and I have to say, I

have seen some sites do a great job with Flash and bitmaps, particlarily the

UK site that did the CD Rom images, Can't remember the name.


Bottom line is the added benefits of Expression for working with vectors is

wonderful. It would add so much MORE creativity to Flash to bring in these

kinds of tools and brushes. I would imagine that if Expression were newer,

they may have taken into consideration, exporting into Flash


>

> Ill be the last to say , Flash needs to be a jpg or bmp editor. Im simply

> saying that more

> dynamic tools can be added to Flash's authoring enviroment to

> create vectors.


I couldn't agree with you more here. I am by trade a traditional painter.

Computer art is new to me, and my mind unfortunately doesn't think in

shapes. It thinks in textures and colour. Perhpas someone could send me some

information on some good books in learning the art of vector based design?

>

> What about a convertor that takes a bmp or jpg image(not

> neccessary a photo)

> and converts it using Flash's gradient

> ability(vector)? You could then discard the bmp or jpg. It would look

> different to an extent

> of course, but you would save much more time in trying to

> manually create it

> with just a "fill" option

> and linear or radial options.


you can do this with the convert to vector utility in flash. The problem is,

that when you convert a jpg to a vector and if you want it to have any

resemblance to the original, more often than not, the resulting vector will

be larger in file size than the bitmap was. I tested this once with Flash 2.

I created an interface of funky shapes that were layered and exported them

to Painter as paths to fill with different textures etc...I brought it back

into Flash and converted it once again into a vector and it looked good but

the file size was larger than just using the bitmap.


I would like to see MM take a good look at Expressions and bring something

similar into the Flash environment. It would boost the ability of creativity

tremendously.

Thanks,

Judy



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